Seven City Residents Arrested in Statewide Drug Bust

New Jersey State Police led the coordinated investigation that involved 12 different departments yesterday. NJ State Police

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Seven New Brunswick residents were arrested on Tuesday as part of a state-wide drug bust organized by the New Jersey State Police – a bust that yielded over $250,000 worth of drugs, as well as $150,000 in cash.

Derek Fuqua, 35, of Piscataway, five members of his family, and three others residing in New Brunswick were arrested in a bust aimed to cripple large heroin distribution ring in New Jersey spanning six counties. A total of 26 people were arrested in the raids, which employed the use of about 100 police officers.

Stash houses on Seaman and Ellen Streets in New Brunswick were raided just before 6 a.m. Tuesday morning. The Ellen Street stash house, along with a house in Piscataway, yielded the majority of the drugs and weapons.

"The numbers tell this story: 26 arrests, hundreds of rounds of ammo, six guns, and body armor seized along with more than $250,000 in drugs and about $150,000 in cash," Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Rick Fuente announced.

"This was indeed a well established drug network that represented a true danger to the citizens and law enforcement in our state," Fuentes said.

Elie Honig, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice in New Jersey, said that the charge "Leader of Narcotic Network" is "a first-degree crime that carries a sentence of life in prison, including 25 years without parole." Fuqua and his alleged cohort are being held at the Middlesex County Jail on $500,000 bail.

The statewide bust, the product of a 12-month investigation, yielded "more than two kilos of raw heroin worth $190,000, more than 150 grams of black tar heroin, more than 100 bricks (50 doses each) of packaged heroin, 70 grams of crack cocaine, 22 grams of crystal meth, six handguns (four of which were entered as stolen), one bullet proof vest, and more than $150,000 cash," according to the release.

The release also said police seized "many items related to a drug production facility" including grinders, scales, stamps and ink pads, and packaging materials.

"Drugs are at the core of the culture of violence plaguing our cities, and the illegal guns seized in this operation speak to the threat posed by these alleged drug dealers," Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa stated.

According to State Police, the other New Brunswick residents arrested and their charges are as follows:

Jenneffer Morfa, 26, $500,00 bail – Maintaining a Production Facility, Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Possession of Heroin, Possession with Intent to Distribute, and Certain Persons not to Possess Weapons